Wednesday, Nov. 12 | 7:30 pm | Parish Hall -
New York Times best selling author Larry Tye has expanded his broad repertory of books to the world of jazz, America’s unique contribution to music. In The Jazz Men: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Count Basie Transformed America, Tyre brings together two stories. One is the story of the country—“hidebound and straight laced” in the mid to late 1900s—and the other is about jazz “the American music form, at its most locomotive and sensuous” in the hands and voices of the greatest jazz men who were called Duke, the Count, and Sachmo. Through them, Tyre illuminates the history of African-Americans in this period and the slights and obstacles they encountered on a daily basis despite their world renown.
Please note that you do not need to be a jazz aficionado or musical historian to fully grasp and appreciate this story. Tyer admits he is no musical historian and, fortunately for me, he writes to the ordinary reader. Duke, the Count and Armstrong each have very different beginnings, with but with two common denominators of race and a loving and committed mother, and distinct contributions to the development of this great musical genre. But their struggles and genius collectively changed American music and helped open doors for later African-Americans performers in sports, music and the stage.
Please note we will meet in the Parish Hall, not the Lounge. This will be our meeting home for the rest of this Church year. As with all our meetings, this is open both to men and women. I hope to see you there!
- Earle O'Donnell
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